The West Coast’s #1 Mattress Company Collected 26,084 Articles of Clothing for California Foster Children, Nearly Double Last Year’s Total
Colored jeans, nautical stripes, neon colors and preppy style—this year’s fashion trends are fun, bright and sporty. But for local foster children who often enter foster care with just the clothes on their back, getting dressed and ready to tackle the day isn’t always easy breezy. To assist foster parents and give foster kids the extra confidence they need to succeed in school and at play, Sleep Train recently hosted it’s annual New Clothing Drive for Foster Kids collecting over 26,000 articles of clothing, nearly double last year’s total, including shirts, jeans, jumpers, dresses and packaged undergarments in all sizes – infant to adult. Donations were distributed among the company’s 24 foster care non-profit partners in the state.
“New clothing is a small contribution, but truly makes a huge difference in the lives of foster youth and foster families,” said Jennifer Harper, Director of Development and Marketing, Alternative Family Services. “The monthly stipend foster parents receive allows them to provide basic needs for foster youth. These funds are not able to cover all necessities. A new t-shirt or pair of shorts provides a much needed confidence boost and sense of normalcy for children in such unfamiliar situations.”
For foster children who enter care with little to no belongings of their own, a new clothing item not only brightens their mornings, but shows them their community cares. If you were unable to participate in this drive but would still like to help support foster children, Sleep Train is currently hosting its School Supply Drive for Foster Kids, which aims to give California foster children the tools to succeed in school. A few of the most needed items include backpacks, pens, pencils, notebooks, paper and flash drives and donations can be dropped off at any Sleep Train location. Unable to shop? donate online here: https://secure.sleeptrain.com/donations.aspx and Sleep Train employees will do the shopping for you. Remember that while “Not everyone can be a foster parent, anyone can help a foster child.”
